The Director of National Intelligence (DNI)



Updated April 7, 2023
The Director of National Intelligence (DNI)
As provided in statute, the Director of National Intelligence
Responsibilities
(DNI) oversees the integration of the intelligence functions
The IRTPA, as amended, includes provisions governing
of the 18 statutory elements of the Intelligence Community
DNI responsibilities (50 U.S.C. §§3023-3024). Among
(IC), spearheads the support the IC provides to the military
them, the DNI is responsible for:
and senior policymakers across the government, and serves
as principal intelligence advisor to the President. The DNI
 Serving as head of the IC and principal advisor to
is appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate.
the President on intelligence matters.
Creation of DNI Position
 Ensuring that timely, accurate, and objective
national intelligence is provided to policymakers.
Congress created the position of DNI recognizing a need

for a senior official to provide dedicated leadership of
Overseeing and providing advice to the President
efforts to improve coordination and information sharing
and the National Security Council with respect to
among IC elements and between intelligence and law
all ongoing and proposed covert action programs.
enforcement agencies. Prior to the creation of the position
 Establishing objectives and priorities for
of DNI, the Director of Central Intelligence (DCI) was
collection, analysis, production, and dissemination
responsible for managing the diverse elements of the IC, in
of national intelligence.
addition to leading the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA),
 Overseeing the management and directing the
and advising the President on intelligence matters.
implementation of the National Intelligence
Following the attacks on the U.S. homeland of September
Program (NIP).
11, 2001, however, the National Commission on Terrorist
Attacks upon the United States
(also called the 9/11
 Collaborating with the Under Secretary of Defense
Commission) recommended replacing the triple-hatted
for Intelligence and Security (USD(I&S)) in the
position of DCI with a central coordinating authority over
development and execution of the Military
the IC elements. This position would be dedicated to
Intelligence Program (MIP).
mitigating administrative and operational barriers impeding
 Managing intelligence and counterintelligence
the lawful sharing of information and intelligence. Acting
relationships with domestic and foreign
on the commission’s recommendation, Congress
intelligence partners.
established the DNI position through provisions in the 2004
 Developing personnel policies and programs to
Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act (P.L.
enhance joint intelligence operations, and facilitate
108-458 or IRTPA). With the passage of IRTPA, Congress
community management functions.
abolished the position of DCI; the DNI assumed
responsibility as both manager of the IC and principal

intelligence advisor to the President, while leadership of the
CIA was left to the Director of the CIA.
Authorities
To carry out these responsibilities the DNI has the statutory
Table 1. DNIs to Date
authority to:
2005-2007
Ambassador John Negroponte
 Act as the decisionmaking authority on major
2007-2009
VADM (Ret.) J. Michael McConnell
intelligence-related acquisitions, with the
exception of acquisitions involving DOD
2009-2010
ADM (Ret.) Dennis Blair
programs. In those cases, the DNI shares authority
2010-2017
LTGEN (Ret.) James Clapper
with the Secretary of Defense.
2017-2019
Former Senator Daniel Coats
 Establish Mission and Functional Managers to
serve as principal substantive advisors on
2019-2020
VADM (Ret.) Joseph McGuire (acting)
intelligence collection and analysis related to
2020-2020
Ambassador Richard Grenell (acting)
designated countries, regions, or functional areas
such as cyber threat intelligence.
2020-2021
Former Representative John L. Ratcliffe
 Establish councils related to IC-wide management
2021-present
Ms. Avril D. Haines
and intelligence integration.

 Establish policies and procedures that require
sound IC-wide analytic methods and tradecraft,
analysis based upon all available sources, and
competitive analysis of analytic products.
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The Director of National Intelligence (DNI)
 Develop and oversee implementation of the
 The Mission Integration Division, which includes
National Intelligence Program (NIP) budget.
some of the most visible responsibilities of the
 Direct how congressionally appropriated funds
DNI involved with intelligence analysis,
flow from the Department of the Treasury to each
integration and prioritization, such as the National
Intelligence Council (NIC); the President’s Daily
of the cabinet level agencies containing IC
elements, including through transferring or
Brief (PDB); Mission Performance, Analysis and
reprogramming funds within certain limits and
Collection; and the National Intelligence
with Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
Management Council (NIMC).
approval.


Five Mission Centers: the National
Spearhead security clearance process
Counterintelligence and Security Center (NCSC);
improvements, and IC-wide security clearance
the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC);
reciprocation policy.
and the National Counterproliferation and
 Establish uniform security and information
Biosecurity Center (NCBC), the Foreign Malign
technology standards, protocols, and interfaces.
Influence Center (FMIC); and the Cyber Threat

Intelligence Integration Center (CTIIC).
Develop an IC information sharing architecture.
 Establish and direct national intelligence centers.
 The Policy and Capabilities Division, which
 Transfer IC personnel for up to two years, with
includes offices involved with community
OMB and agency head approval.
management, planning, and acquisition, such as IC

Human Capital; IC Acquisition, Procurement and
Encourage assignment rotation whereby IC
Facilities; Requirements, Cost and Effectiveness;
personnel have a chance to work in other IC
Policy and Strategy; and Domestic Engagement
elements.
and Information Sharing. The Division also
 Establish and implement procedures to protect
includes the Intelligence Advanced Projects
intelligence sources and collection methods.
Research Agency (IARPA).
 Manage and direct the tasking, collection, analysis,

production, and dissemination of national
The ODNI also includes offices responsible for
intelligence by approving requirements and
various aspects of oversight: Civil Liberties,
promoting integration and efficiency of effort.
Privacy and Transparency (CLPT); Equal

Employment Opportunity and Diversity (EEOD);
Appoint the deputy directors of national
the Inspector General of the IC (ICIG), and the
intelligence, the Director of the National
Office of General Counsel (OGC).
Counterproliferation and Biosecurity Center
(NCBC), the Director of the Foreign Malign
Influence Center (FMIC), and the IC Chief
Relevant Statutes
Financial Officer (CFO), the Civil Liberties
Title 50, U.S. Code, §§3023-3034a
Protection Officer, and Chief of Science and
Technology.

CRS Products
Coordinate with cabinet secretaries who require
DNI concurrence on nominations of departmental
CRS In Focus IF10525, Defense Primer: National and Defense
intelligence component heads. Consult in
Intelligence, by Michael E. DeVine
appointments to positions for which DNI
CRS In Focus IF10523, Defense Primer: Under Secretary of
concurrence is not required: the USD(I&S), the
Defense for Intelligence and Security, by Michael E. DeVine
Assistant Attorney General for National Security,
CRS In Focus IF10524, Defense Primer: Budgeting for National
the Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency
and Defense Intelligence, by Michael E. DeVine
(DIA), and the uniformed heads of Service
intelligence elements (including the intelligence
element of the U.S. Coast Guard).
Other Resources
Executive Order 12333, United States Intelligence Activities
Office of the DNI
ODNI Intelligence Activities Procedures Approved by the Attorney
The IRTPA also established the Office of the DNI (ODNI),
General Pursuant to E.O. 12333
a statutory element of the IC, including permanent
government employees, contractors, and those detailed
ICD-900, Integrated Mission Management
from other IC agencies. The DNI has periodically
reorganized the ODNI consistent with administration policy

and priorities. Congress, too, has influenced ODNI
organization. The Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal
Michael E. DeVine, Analyst in Intelligence and National
Years 2018, 2019, and 2020, for example, established
Security
within the ODNI both a Climate Security Advisory Council
IF10470
(Section 5321 of Division E of P.L. 116-92), Currently, the
principal organizational components of the ODNI include:
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The Director of National Intelligence (DNI)


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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF10470 · VERSION 13 · UPDATED